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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25983301">there's no place like home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/eg1701/pseuds/eg1701'>eg1701</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>90s reddie for the soul [10]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>IT (1990)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Eddie Kaspbrak Loves Richie Tozier, Gen, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Homophobic Sonia Kaspbrak, M/M, Sonia Kaspbrak Being Terrible, Sonia Kaspbrak's A+ Parenting, They just love each other a lot, and it gets to me, myra kaspbrak but she's not technically a kaspbrak, thanksgiving dinner but it's Bad</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:42:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,326</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25983301</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/eg1701/pseuds/eg1701</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Richie and Eddie have Thanksgiving dinner with Sonia and her guests.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>90s reddie for the soul [10]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1800730</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>112</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>there's no place like home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this is the TENTH one of these which is the only reasonable explanation for why its so long. it doesn't need to be but uhhhh we might as well project our own families issues onto the kaspbraks</p>
<p>we're not nice to myra or sonia here, and i'm not actually that sorry about it</p>
<p>important historical note <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friend_of_Dorothy">here at this wiki</a> that might make one scene make more sense to you if you're unfamiliar with the phrase! </p>
<p>title is, of course, from the wizard of oz</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Do you think this is a good idea?” Eddie asked, when they pulled into the driveway. It had been several months since Richie had seen the house, and he still thought there was something about it he didn’t quite like. Maybe it was just the fact that Sonia was something like the evil queen in a fairy tale, or the Wicked Witch of the West, making her house the scary castle.<br/>
</p>
<p>(Unfortunately no one had tried throwing a bucket of water on Sonia.)<br/>
</p>
<p>Richie didn’t reply.<br/>
</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Eddie said, shutting off the car and frowning, “Me either.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“It’ll probably be fine,” Richie replied, “I mean, it was nice of her to invite us for the holiday?”<br/>
</p>
<p>Eddie shook his head, “It’s not like that. She’s got… I don’t know. A motive for it. But if this doesn’t go well-”<br/>
</p>
<p>“We’ll leave,” Richie said simply, but he knew that was easier said than done. And he knew that <i>Eddie</i> knew that, “It’s a free meal.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“She’s probably poisoned it.” Eddie looked at him, the hint of a smile on his lips.<br/>
</p>
<p>“Remember me fondly then.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“You’re willing to eat poisoned food for me?”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Evidently so,” Richie laughed, “I don’t see your mother as the poisoner type. Come on Eds, I’m sure she’s peeking out the window wondering why we haven’t come in yet.”<br/>
</p>
<p>Eddie made a face but got out of the car.<br/>
</p>
<p>“You think there’ll be other people here?” Richie asked, “Like some of her friends or?”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Probably,” Eddie said, with the tone of someone who was very used to that, “Look, we go in, and you can believe me that she makes the best stuffing you’ll ever have, we play nice and then we leave.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Eds, I love you,” Richie said, smiling, “It’ll be fine.”<br/>
</p>
<p>Eddie waved his hand and Richie followed him up to the porch where he knocked on the door. Eddie pulled at his tie and stared at the door. Richie thought he was debating staying or bolting before Sonia could answer.<br/>
</p>
<p>The door flung open, and Richie stood straighter. There was no need to try and <i>impress</i> Sonia. That ship had sailed. He just needed to play nice. And if Eddie never wanted to speak to his mother again after this? Well that’d be stellar, but he couldn’t make Eddie drop his mother. He had thought about it, tried composing long speeches about how harmful she was, but he never went through with them. Eddie knew what his mother was, and still he answered the phone, still he called her on her birthday and on holidays. He thought it might just be something he was going to have to accept.<br/>
</p>
<p>Well, nobody ever said mother in laws were <i>easy</i>.<br/>
</p>
<p>“Hello Eddie dear,” she said, leaning to kiss his cheek. She eyed Richie but didn’t speak.<br/>
</p>
<p>“Hi,” Eddie replied coolly, much to Richie’s surprise. He hadn’t expected coolness, not really. “Thanks for inviting us.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Of course,” Sonia said, with a friendly tone that made Richie uneasy. He never spent much time around her as a child, and even less as an adult, but this friendliness given the way he knew she could be was concerning.<br/>
</p>
<p>“Come in,” she held open the door, “Sit.”<br/>
</p>
<p>Eddie met his eye, but Richie couldn’t figure out what was going on in his head. He thought he could normally read Eddie pretty well, but his face was blank.<br/>
</p>
<p>Richie jammed his hands in his pockets. He wanted nothing more than to reach out and at least take Eddie’s hand. To reassure them both, but if Sonia was going to play nice, he knew that he had to as well. She would see it as a personal attack.<br/>
</p>
<p>He resisted the urge to roll his eyes.<br/>
</p>
<p>“I’ve made some little snacks before dinner. It’ll be ready in another hour or so,” she said, leading them into the kitchen, “Are you eating enough dear? </p>
<p>You look thin. You’re not ill are you?”<br/>
</p>
<p>“I’m fine,” Eddie said, “There’s five chairs. Who did you invite?”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Here we go,” Sonia said, opening the fridge, ignoring Eddie’s question, and pulling out a tray of appetizers. She set the plate down on the table, eyed Richie again, then smiled, “What was that?”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Who’s coming to dinner?” Eddie repeated, slower and much more emphasized.<br/>
</p>
<p>Sonia didn’t answer, instead heading into the other room and returning with a bottle of wine. She’d already set the table with glasses, and filled three up. Richie assumed it’d be alright to take one, and did so gratefully.<br/>
</p>
<p>He needed something if he was going to get through this dinner.<br/>
</p>
<p>Tuesday’s dinner had been so fun, and Richie had known that he didn’t have to hide anything. Even before they’d told the others, he knew, somehow, none of them would care one way or the other. That was just the way they were.<br/>
</p>
<p>(Bev and Ben’s bet had been a surprise, but a funny one. He should have figured Bev would know somehow. She’d always been like that.)<br/>
</p>
<p>“How was your drive from the city?” Sonia asked, glancing at the clock. Even Richie knew she was expecting someone. He was leaning towards it being someone she had decided would be eligible for Eddie, but it was also possible it was one of her like minded friends so she’d have some backup.<br/>
</p>
<p>He wasn’t sure which one would end up being worse.<br/>
</p>
<p>He knew that Sonia had spent a good portion of Eddie’s adult life trying to find a nice suitable girl for him to marry. And Richie knew that those all fizzled out very quickly. And now? Well, he sort of felt like this was her last ditch effort. She was either delusional or stubborn. Maybe a little of both.<br/>
</p>
<p>The doorbell rang. Eddie looked up at him and Richie frowned.<br/>
</p>
<p>“That’ll be them I suppose,” Sonia said, wiping her hands on her skirt and going into the front hall.<br/>
</p>
<p>“We could fit out that window,” Richie said, “Be in the car before she even got back here. Take off like Bonnie and Clyde. Steal hers. It’s nicer than that rental.”<br/>
</p>
<p>Eddie shook his head, “This is it Rich, I mean it. She might play nice? She said she would.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Eds my dear, I don’t think that’s going to happen. And neither do you. Why don’t we just take it as it comes. She’s your mom.”<br/>
</p>
<p>Eddie opened his mouth to reply, but the others entered the kitchen again, and he just shook his head and sighed. Richie knew that next to Pennywise, that Sonia was probably the biggest obstacle in their lives. And now that Pennywise was dead…<br/>
</p>
<p>“Eddie dear, this is Myra and Lisa,” she motioned to the two women in turn. Richie guessed they were all probably around the same age. And the women resembled each other just enough to be related. Maybe sisters but probably cousins.<br/>
</p>
<p><i>Oh</i>, Richie thought, <i>she’s making me a match too.</i><br/>
</p>
<p>People had tried to set Richie up before. Sometimes it went well enough to warrant another night or another dinner, but most of the time it wasn’t worth pursuing. His friends in LA just wanted him to be happy, in the years between Derry, and he knew that they had done it with good intentions. Sonia was setting him up so he’d quit dating her son, and maybe because she thought he was a sinner or something. He wasn’t sure.<br/>
</p>
<p>It would be a lot to think that Sonia cared that much about his soul or whatever it was. It was most likely to get him away from Eddie. It seemed impossible she was doing any of this for him.<br/>
</p>
<p>The one on the left, the blonde one, stuck out her hand and leaned into to kiss Eddie on the cheek, “Hello Eddie. It’s good to see you again. Your mother was so kind to invite us. We’ve been seeing a lot of each other since my mother died in June.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Hello Myra. I’m sorry to hear that,” Eddie said, and for a moment, Richie was fairly certain he was sorry to hear that she had been hanging around Sonia, not that her own mother had died. He quickly turned his smile into a cough and covered his mouth. But Eddie’s quick look told him Eddie heard his laugh.<br/>
</p>
<p>“This is my cousin, Lisa,” she motioned towards the other woman.<br/>
</p>
<p>Richie thought that woman was the one meant for him. She seemed nervous, and Richie felt sort of bad for her. He offered her a nice smile, the kind meant for television.<br/>
</p>
<p>“Thank you for inviting us,” Lisa said.<br/>
</p>
<p>“Let me get you both a drink. Myra dear would you like to help me serve?”<br/>
</p>
<p>Yes, Myra was definitely meant for Eddie. She already treated her like a daughter in law. Richie wasn’t sure he was <i>jealous</i> of that. Sonia wasn’t really a woman he wanted to spend time with, but it might have been kind of nice, to have a mother in law. Someone who loved Eddie as much as he did.<br/>
</p>
<p>“It’s nice to meet you,” Eddie said, always the gentleman. Richie finally sat, and took another long sip of wine.<br/>
</p>
<p>“Eddie,” Sonia called and Eddie frowned, “Leave your <i>friend</i> to talk with Lisa and come help Myra with this.”<br/>
</p>
<p>Eddie drew a deep breath, but, not to Richie’s surprise, he stood up, putting a hand on Richie’s shoulder as he went, back out of the little seating area and into the main kitchen. He heard the clatter of dishes and quiet voices.<br/>
</p>
<p>“I’m sorry about your aunt,” Richie said, trying to break the quiet. He’d forgotten how quiet and big the Kaspbraks house was. No radio, no TV playing. Even the noise of the kitchen seemed muted. And now that Eddie had left, he felt like he had to break the silence with this woman he did not know, and who maybe Sonia had, like, paid to come.<br/>
</p>
<p>“Thank you,” she said quietly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, “You’re Eddie’s friend?”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Something like that,” Richie said, “We live together, in LA.”<br/>
</p>
<p>She nodded slowly, taking this fact in, “Yeah. I have a friend like that too.”<br/>
</p>
<p>Richie eyed her. It was different, in LA, where the city was large but the circles were small. He knew, for the most part, of his immediate peers who liked which genders. But what was this woman trying to say exactly? He couldn’t jump to conclusions like that. Did she understand what he meant, or would she, like Sonia, refuse to acknowledge anything outside of her own beliefs.<br/>
</p>
<p>“Oh?” he raised his eyebrows, “Is that so?”<br/>
</p>
<p>She picked up the wine bottle, abandoned when Sonia had gone to answer the door and poured half a glass, then took a very long sip. She shut her eyes, nodded, and then opened them again.<br/>
</p>
<p>“Her name is Dorothy.”<br/>
</p>
<p>Richie laughed, “I’ll get you my pretty. And your little dog too“<br/>
</p>
<p>His Wicked Witch impression was enough to make Eddie leave him, but it made Lisa smile, and some of the tension left her shoulders at his terrible voice.<br/>
</p>
<p>(He’d have to work on it a bit, maybe he could use it for something if he got better at it. And just never practice it around Eddie.)<br/>
</p>
<p>“I think I know her,” Richie said, nodding, relieved to hear it, to know that at least this part of Sonia’s plan would not work as she hoped, “Damn, I haven’t heard that phrase in <i>years</i>.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“I’m sorry about this,” she said, “Myra and Sonia are just alike. She’s convinced herself-”<br/>
</p>
<p>Richie put up a hand, “Please, I’m well acquainted with how she can be. I’m just here for the food.”<br/>
</p>
<p>Lisa laughed, “Lisa Miller.”<br/>
</p>
<p>She stuck out her hand and he shook it, “Richie Tozier.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Pleasure. Sorry about Myra. She’s… she’s difficult. Stubborn.”<br/>
</p>
<p>He waved his hand, “Think nothing of it. She’s trying to set us up, Sonia is.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Myra doesn’t believe me when I say I’m seeing someone,” Lisa shrugged, “She tells me that Janie is just my good friend. I try to tell her otherwise but-”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Yeah, Eddie’s just my good friend in his mother’s eyes,” Richie said, “Well, you saw what just happened. She refuses to admit to it.”<br/>
</p>
<p>Lisa nodded, and the other three returned, bearing trays of snack foods, and Eddie returned to his seat.<br/>
</p>
<p>It was going to be a long dinner.<br/>
</p>
<p>***<br/>
</p>
<p>And it was a long dinner. Eddie adamantly refused to start conversations, Sonia’s voice was a tad too shrill for Richie’s taste, and she called Richie, “Eddie’s friend” six times.<br/>
</p>
<p>(The stuffing <i>was</i> pretty good though.)<br/>
</p>
<p>“So Eddie, Sonia says that you’ve been living in LA. Do you like it there?” Myra asked.<br/>
</p>
<p>Richie thought she spoke a bit like she was talking to a child-- or like a mother talking to a son. No wonder Myra and Sonia got along so well.<br/>
</p>
<p>“Yes,” Eddie said, “It’s lovely there. Have you ever been to California?”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Oh no,” she said, smiling slightly and looking down, “I’ve never been farther west than Ohio. I’d love to see it someday. See Hollywood.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Maybe we can all go out,” Sonia said, and Richie was reminded of several weeks ago when she had adamant refused to come visit, citing the fact that it would seem like she was approving, “I still haven’t seen your new house Eddie.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Well technically it’s Richie’s house,” Eddie replied. Richie frowned. He hoped Eddie was just saying that, and he didn’t really feel like it wasn’t also his house, “He works as an actor and a comedian. Mom thinks he’s funny.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Oh hilarious,” Sonia replied, without a hint of humor in her tone. She leaned back in her chair and sipped her drink, eyeing Richie as she did.<br/>
</p>
<p>“Aw thanks Mrs. Kaspbrak,” he said, “I’m glad you think so.”<br/>
</p>
<p>He <i>had</i> said he would be nice.<br/>
</p>
<p>“Lisa dear,” she said, “Have you ever been to Hollywood? Didn’t you say you used to want to be an actress?”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Oh,” Lisa sat up at being addressed, “Yes, when I was little. I wanted to be a movie star. But I like my job now.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“What do you do?” Eddie asked.<br/>
</p>
<p>“I work at a moving image museum, in Queens,” She shrugged, “It’s close enough for me.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Are you still working as a driver?” Eddie asked, and Richie felt the information slide into place. That’s how they met then. It must have just driven Sonia insane to have her working in the same place as Eddie and to have nothing come of it. He sort of thought it was funny. But he managed to keep any humor from his face.<br/>
</p>
<p>He was still playing nice. But that was becoming harder and harder.<br/>
</p>
<p>“Oh yes,” Myra said, “I don’t go out too much now. though Do you do it in LA?”<br/>
</p>
<p>“I’m looking,” Eddie said, “I haven’t done much work lately.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“You should find a job Eddie,” Sonia said quickly, chastising him like a child, “You don’t want to rely on your roommate do you? That’s hardly fair.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t go that far Mrs. K,” Richie interrupted, “I mean, it’s a fair balance. Besides, I’m the one that invited Eddie to come live with me in the first place, after Derry.”<br/>
</p>
<p>And it was true that after Pennywise Eddie wasn’t in any state to work anyway, but he’d insisted upon contributing for weeks until Richie said the house was too damn big for just one person anyway, so quit worrying about all that.<br/>
But now, well, it didn’t matter so much. Eddie’s mere presence was enough to keep Richie from going nuts out of loneliness.<br/>
</p>
<p>“Richie’s not my roommate,” Eddie said quietly, “You shouldn’t call him that. You know that’s not the case.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Well what am I meant to call him?” Sonia asked, her voice louder than Richie thought she’d meant for it to be. She’s finally snapped maybe, tired of Eddie’s sheer uncooperativeness.<br/>
</p>
<p>He took a very long sip of his wine.<br/>
</p>
<p>“Sonia, I think what Eddie’s trying to say it-” Myra began, but Eddie shook his head to cut her off.<br/>
</p>
<p>“She knows what I’m trying to say, thank you though,” Eddie said, “Richie and I engaged. So I suppose fiancé would be the correct term now.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“You can’t be engaged,” Sonia replied, scoffing.<br/>
</p>
<p>“Well that’s not against the law,” Lisa added, glancing between Richie and Eddie, “It’s just the marriage part as of now.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“You don’t know anything about this dear,” Sonia said, her tone sweet but almost too much so. There was an edge to it that Richie did <i>not</i> like. Lisa was trying to help, and Sonia did not appreciate that, “It’s alright.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“I’m sorry you feel the need to deny it,” Eddie said softly, “I’m sorry you feel that way, I really am, but it’s not going to change anything. <i>When</i> it’s allowed then Richie and I are going to get married. He’s not my friend, he’s not my roommate. He’s, well, he’s everything.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Do you think that’s really going to happen?” Sonia asked defiantly.<br/>
</p>
<p>“Yes,” Eddie said, “And I look forward to that day.”<br/>
</p>
<p>The table fell quiet. Richie found Eddie’s hand under the table, and the sheer strength of Eddie’s grip told Richie just how terrified he was. He was pretty impressed at how little it showed. He seemed cool and collected in his speech.<br/>
</p>
<p>“Who wants pie?” Lisa said, after what felt like half an hour of silence. Richie was more thankful for that then she would probably ever know.<br/>
</p>
<p>“Nothing some pie can’t solve,” Richie added, but he wasn’t sure it was funny or appreciated. He knew this dinner wasn’t going to go well, but he hadn’t had the heart to argue too much. But maybe this would be enough, to really show Eddie that it was alright if he cut Sonia off. He didn’t <i>owe</i> her anything. He was her son, sure, that was true, but he didn’t have to be anymore. Not after something like this.<br/>
</p>
<p>“I’ll get it,” Sonia said, putting her napkin on the table. If looks could kill, Eddie and Richie would have long since died at that table. But even still, Richie could practically <i>feel</i> the chill in the air, “Myra dear, why don’t you help me?”<br/>
</p>
<p>***<br/>
</p>
<p>The next hour or so passed <i>excruciatingly</i> slow. They discussed nothing but small topics-- the parade earlier that morning, the football games, the chance of snow next week, some of the television that had aired the previous week. Sonia spoke in mostly single word answers, clearly upset that she’d failed.<br/>
</p>
<p>Richie thought she must have had an enormous amount of misplaced faith-- though that didn’t seem like the right word-- to believe that she could have succeeded. Perhaps a face to face conversation, as opposed to over the phone would have clinched the deal?<br/>
</p>
<p>They’d finally managed to leave, and Eddie had politely hugged his mother and Myra, and Richie had slipped Lisa their phone number, muttering about how he’d love to show her and Jane the town, if they ever made their way west.<br/>
</p>
<p>They walked to the car in silence, Richie stealing frequent glances in Eddie’s direction, desperately trying to read him. He wondered what the conversation was like now that they had left. Sonia was probably going to go into mourning. He wondered if she’d give up calling or if Eddie’s words were somehow still Richie’s fault, for corrupting him or whatever it was he was supposed to have done.<br/>
</p>
<p>They drove in silence for several minutes. He had hoped the glasses of wine would have calmed him enough, but he was just as on edge as ever. And even though it dark out now, he could see from how tightly Eddie was gripping the steering wheel, the feeling was shared.<br/>
</p>
<p>“Pull over for a second,” Richie said, suddenly, not sure exactly why.<br/>
</p>
<p>“What?” Eddie asked, not looking at him, “Why?”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Just do it,” Richie said.<br/>
</p>
<p>Despite the emptiness of the road, Eddie flipped on the signal and pulled over. After ten seconds or so, he shut off the car. They were met with silence.<br/>
</p>
<p>“You’re not alright,” Richie said, “And that makes sense. That was… I don’t know what that was but it felt sort of like an attack.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“I don’t know why I didn’t expect it,” Eddie said, putting his hands in his lap, “She always wanted me to find someone she approved of. God, I feel like a teenager Rich. I’m a grown man, I can’t even stand up to my mother. What’s wrong with me?”<br/>
</p>
<p>“There’s nothing <i>wrong</i> with you Eds,” he said, “Of course there’s not anything wrong with you. Well, except the fact that you think Return of the Jedi is better than Empire Strikes back but-”<br/>
</p>
<p>Eddie laughed, and Richie noticed for the first time that he was crying, just a little, so the laugh sounded like more of a sob.<br/>
</p>
<p>“I like the happy ending,” Eddie said, “I don’t know why that’s a crime.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“You watched Darth Vader say he was Luke’s father and it wasn’t automatically your new favorite movie?”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Richie you’re a dork,” he replied, “I’m sorry she’s like that.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Well, I suppose she <i>could</i> be Darth Vader. If I was Han Solo, then she’d be Darth Vader. I consider myself lucky.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“You are not Han Solo Richie,” Eddie said, but Richie thought maybe he was cheering up a little, “You’re the little teddy bear looking things, the first one that finds Leia. A big softie.”<br/>
</p>
<p>The light from the overhead was dim, and Richie thought that if anybody were to driveby they would think maybe they were lost, hunched over a map.<br/>
</p>
<p>(But really, Richie had never been less lost in his entire life. When he was with Eddie, it didn’t matter where they were, he’d never be lost.)<br/>
</p>
<p>“She’s the way she is,” Richie said, “I know that. I just- I wish you could leave her behind Eds.”<br/>
</p>
<p>He fell quiet.<br/>
</p>
<p>“I know,” Eddie whispered, and wiped furiously at his eyes, like he hated that they were betraying him by crying, “It’s hard though. Even now, it’s hard. She was all I had for so long. And I know how she treated me was selfish, or wrong. I know that. But sometimes I think if I never saw her again that would be alright.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Maybe it’s just the way things will be,” Richie said, “And maybe one day you’ll be able to hang up on her and that’ll be that.”<br/>
</p>
<p>He wanted to put his hands on his shoulders and say Eddie, why are you putting yourself through this. You’re too good, too kind to her, when she clearly doesn’t care as much about you as you do about her. Let’s just go, let’s go home, and let’s pretend this didn’t happen.<br/>
</p>
<p>But instead he just smiled, and took Eddie’s hand.<br/>
</p>
<p>“I’m sorry honey.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“You don’t have to apologize for your mother. I love you.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“I love you too,” Eddie sighed, “At least we don’t have to see her at Christmas.”<br/>
</p>
<p>Richie laughed, “That’s all I could ask for from Santa. Want to send her a lump of coal?”<br/>
</p>
<p>Eddie rolled his eyes, “Very funny. A regular comedian. You think of that one by yourself?”<br/>
</p>
<p>“You know she wanted to set me up with Lisa,” Richie said.<br/>
</p>
<p>“I figured,” Eddie shrugged, “I’d never met her before.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“She told me when you and Myra and your mother when out into the kitchen. Lisa has a good friend too, just like I have you.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Ah,” Eddie said quietly, as if this made sense somehow, “I’m sure Myra does not like that.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Come one Eds,” Richie reached out and gently turned his head so they were finally eye to eye, “I know this was tough. But you were so brave in there, telling her off like that. Maybe this was it coming to a head and it’s smoothing sailin’ from here on out.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“I just- it was so nice to see the others, to have dinner with them. They love us unconditionally and we’re not even related. I don’t understand it.”<br/>
</p>
<p>Richie shrugged, “Sometimes it’s the families you choose that matter more. Even if we hadn’t fought a killer clown from outer space-”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Now <i>that’s</i> a bad movie.”<br/>
</p>
<p>Richie smiled, “I was too scared to see it but I couldn’t figure out why. But even if we hadn’t, we were good friends, the best friends. And that’s what matters. Are you going to be alright?”<br/>
</p>
<p>Eddie nodded, “Yeah. I will be. This was good. I think it settled some things for me.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Then it was worth the heartache,” Richie said, finding that maybe some bad things were worth doing for the good things you got out of them.<br/>
</p>
<p>(Sometimes when he couldn’t sleep, but Eddie was already out, he thought about if he’d go back to Derry. Do it all over again, knowing it all. He decided that yes, he would, so long as he got Eddie out of the deal. There wasn’t much-- maybe wasn’t anything-- he wouldn’t do if he meant Eddie would be there for him at the end.)<br/>
</p>
<p>Eddie drew a long, deep breath, leaned over and kissed him.<br/>
</p>
<p>“Let’s go huh?” he turned the car back on, breaking the silence of the night. Richie was even glad to hear the very quiet radio station pick up again, “I’m beat.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“I’ll give your mother this,” Richie said, watching Eddie flip the signal on and pull back onto the road, “She does make a good stuffing.”<br/>
</p>
<p>Eddie rolled his eyes, “She gets it from a box Rich, I was just trying to convince you to come in the first place, I’ll make it for you when we get home.”<br/>
</p>
<p>“Eds darlin’ I think that’s the most attractive thing you could have said to me.”<br/>
</p>
<p>Home would be nice. After all, Richie smiled to himself, there really was no place like home.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>uhh yeah myra gets a gay cousin, there's far too many pop culture references, and they mention the damn stuffing four separate times! </p>
<p>i appreciate you as always!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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